Five Times Chronos Did Not Send the Numbers After Train
by Hitokiri-san
Summary: ...and the One Time They Did. Because, if Chronos had truly wanted to eliminate the former No. XIII when he deserted them, they wouldn't have insisted on sending footmen after him for two whole years without success. The Chronos Numbers on Train's defection, spanning across the canon timeline.
1. V-I

**Five Times Chronos Did Not Send the Numbers After Train (and the One Time They Did)**

 _A Black Cat fan fiction by Hitokiri-san_

 **A/N: Ah, Black Cat. I've loved you for so many years. For some reason I've revisited the Black Cat manga recently, and it is as I remembered - a well-drawn, exciting piece of work, thoroughly enjoyable.**

 **And as for why this piece is born - First, I've always thought the Numbers deserve to have more screen time. Second, if Chronos had really wanted to kill Train after he defected, they wouldn't be sending someone like Cleaver (Train's mentee in the first volume who got his ass kicked within one second, for those who don't remember) to eradicate him.**

 **If they'd wanted to be done with him once and for all, the obvious solution would be sending Numbers after him, like what they did with Creed, instead of sending footmen after him for** _ **a whole two years**_ **without success.**

 **So obviously, they hadn't been trying hard enough.**

 **This story is manga-based, with some of the settings borrowed from the anime. Another title to this story would be "The Numbers react to Train Heartnet", haha. Also, the story is in six short installments, just to be neat. Enjoy.**

* * *

The rumours spread like wildfire within the week: No. XIII had defected to another organisation. No. XIII had had a row with the Elders. No. XIII had eloped with a woman. _No. XIII had deserted Chronos._

No one was sure what the true story was, as the higher-ups were predictably tight-lipped about it all, but it was clear that the Black Cat had decided to leave them for good: members stationed at HQ relayed stories of how No. XIII had stormed the main building in the middle of the night, raiding the armoury and making off with his trademark gun, Hades.

The men of Chronos didn't stand a chance against him, and no one expected them to be able to - the legendary Black Cat was a force of nature, and infiltrating strongholds singlehandedly was straight up his alley. Luckily for them, No. XIII had taken care not to kill, or even maim, any of the Chronos soldiers, opting for the most part to just shoot their guns out of their hands instead. It seemed that even though he had decided to leave them, he bore no ill will towards his former comrades, or at least he didn't hate them enough to eradicate them despite the fact that they had mostly aimed to kill him.

 **V.**  
 **I.**

Nizer took Sephiria's hand as she descended from the helicopter, noting the slightly furrowed brows, the fatigue around her eyes. She'd been in a three-hour meeting with the Elders, and though he wasn't privy to the details, he already knew what it was about - this had been going on for many days now; the Elders taking No. XIII's defection extremely badly, and the Black Cat's unwitting raid of HQ had just added insult to injury.

What the hell was XIII thinking, Nizer wondered, as his captain swept her hair back as if to dispel her worries and made her way resolutely into HQ. He'd never met XIII in person throughout the two years the man had been appointed, since they'd both been snowed under with assignments, most of the time.

What little he'd heard of the young Number, though, was mostly positive: he was stable, loyal, efficient, even if he was aloof and power hungry. He was a man with dignity, reluctant to harm women and children in his missions. To the organisation he was a force to be reckoned with and a comrade to be respected. That he'd just up and leave Chronos was not something Nizer had ever had in mind.

It must have weighed heavily on Sephiria as well - the Numbers, however unruly, were her charge, her responsibility. She'd recommended Heartnet's initiation as the thirteenth Time Guardian at the young age of eighteen, something unheard of in the whole history of Chronos. That she'd let Heartnet stray so far from the right path signified her personal failing as his captain.

"Captain," Nizer decided to venture after a while of pondering, "why did XIII leave?"

She stopped in her tracks. It was not his place to ask such a question and he half expected her to rebuff him, but she merely sighed, hooking a strand of wavy hair behind her ear absently.

"I should have waited until he was older," she reflected, heavily, "he is too young to understand the gravity of being a Time Guardian. I've sent him on missions without impressing on him the meaning of his power, the weight of his duties, and now the outside world has led him astray."

 _There is a woman involved_ , Nizer recalled the gossip in the corridors. Thinking about it now, it might well have been an old seduction trick, one the Black Cat, for all his prowess with the gun and assassination, couldn't recognize. In short, they'd lost one of their strongest Numbers, all because XIII was too young, and because Chronos had all along just capitalised on his talent without bothering to guide him properly.

Nizer felt a sudden exasperation as he realized this. At least it would mean that the situation was still salvageable. It would be a waste if they had to get rid of their youngest prodigy because of something like this, and god knew how many Numbers they'd have to deploy against Heartnet (and better yet, how many of them would be hurt or worse) if they really wanted to take him down.

"Let me deal with him, Captain," he offered abruptly, and clear blue eyes turned on him, assessing.

" _Deal with_ , as in erasing him?" she asked, expression unreadable, and he snorted.

"I'm not Kranz or Baldor. Jeez, Captain, give me some credit; I'm perfectly capable of talking to the guy for five minutes without trying to throw him into a wall. I'm just going to bring him in. Peacefully, if possible."

"And if he turns Hades on you?"

"Well, I'm sure that Ash and I could handle a lost kitten," he countered with a raised brow, and Sephiria laughed softly, shaking her head.

"I am not sending any of the Numbers after him," she finally said, sighing, "he is already confused and lost, there is nothing to be gained in provoking him further. I'll have someone talk to him, and if that does not work, I'll talk to him myself. Before he loses himself further."

That was a lot of trust and concern directed at someone who had just deserted them all, but that only confirmed Nizer's image of the Black Cat: he was a comrade who needed a hand, not an enemy who had to be erased as soon as possible.

"Understood, Captain. ...I hope he comes to his senses soon."

For Heartnet's own good, and for theirs', he sincerely hoped he would.


	2. II

**II.**

Three months and four failed attempts at convincing him to come back later, it became increasingly clear that the Black Cat wasn't coming to his senses anytime soon. The Elders railed against the former No. XIII in escalating apprehension and rage when the people they deployed after him came back empty handed and humiliated. The only relief was that Heartnet had apparently gone easy on them - they all came back unscathed if a bit ruffled, even if most of them had tried to jump him in utter frustration. The Elders had never told them not to attack Heartnet, after all, though anyone with a shred of common sense knew that doing so recklessly would be most foolish.

Heartnet had promptly skipped town, _again_ , after his latest encounter with his Chronos ex-comrades. The resources they were deploying just to track him down was already getting ridiculous.

Gazing at the stony countenances of the three Elders, Belze feared for the inevitable day when the Council of Elders would order the extermination of the former XIII - he knew too much, was too great of a force to be left unchecked. The Elders, despite their anger towards Heartnet, had already shown incredible leniency where he was concerned. In a way he was one of their favourites, or they wouldn't have made an exception for him in the first place.

How long, however, before their indulgence ran out and they decide to be done with him once and for all?

" _No. II_ ," Wilzark's commanding voice drew him back to the now and present, "you have seen for yourself how XIII has scorned us, how he has rejected the goodwill Chronos has shown him so far. What do you propose we do with him?"

Belze lowered his head in deference. Here came the difficult question. "I will have Karl Walken talk to him. Karl was his guardian; certainly he will be able to..."

"No. IV and No. VIII have come to me this afternoon," Wilzark cut in impatiently, having heard something in the same vein enough to be impressed, "they asked me to send them against Heartnet and assured me that they will be able to deal with him quickly, in the appropriate manner. Their loyalty is commendable, if I may say so."

Belze scowled slightly. Kranz and Baldorias had blatantly bypassed his and Sephiria's authority by appealing directly to the Elders on this matter. Their discipline, as usual, was sorely lacking, and he was not about to send these wild cannons after Heartnet for very obvious reasons.

"Their loyalty, perhaps, but not their tact. If they mean what they have told you, Lord Wilzark, then they have grossly underestimated XIII. We could end up with three Guardians less when we could just have set XIII straight with a little time and patience." He lifted his head and looked Wilzark in the eye, willing him to set down his pride for common sense. Wilzark stared back at him, impassive, and he wondered if he'd gone too far this time.

"We entrusted the Numbers to you and No. I," Wilzark began slowly, "do with them as you will. But remember: _Chronos does not forgive defection_. Do not let us down."

"Thank you, Lord Wilzark."

It was when oxygen rushed unbidden into his lungs at the moment that Belze realised he'd been holding his breath.


	3. XII-IX-III

**A/N: And this is the chapter where I borrow from the anime. Mason Ordrosso, No. XII, was the longest standing Number at present; per Sephiria, he was a Number even before she was born. David Fapper, No. IX, was a card-wielding guy in dreadlocks who could only be found in the anime. Emilio Lowe, No. III, was mentioned in the manga. In the anime, he betrayed Chronos towards the end. He was an archer with glasses and looked pretty sophisticated. I would have said more about them if not for the fact that canon doesn't have much more to say about them, either.**

 **The Eden Arc has me in perpetual disappointment, so while I borrow the characters, I'm discarding the whole anime arc setting. As such, these three characters remain Chronos Numbers throughout. Enjoy.**

* * *

 **XII.**

 **IX.**

 **III.**

Fapper was holding his breath throughout the whole conversation, shaking silently and trying to hide it from No. I's discerning gaze. Mason rolled his eyes, and when Sephiria turned around the corner, he sighed, exasperated. "You can breathe now, IX."

David Fapper broke into hysterical laughter, his dreadlocks bobbing vibrantly as he held his stomach. At his side, Emilio Lowe looked quietly amused, pink eyes twinkling behind his glasses. After meeting with Sephiria and Belze - who were all solemn and morose, no insult intended - Mason thought these two young uns were a breath of fresh air.

"Does XIII's choice of occupation as a Sweeper amuse you so much?" Mason asked, one bushy eyebrow tilting when David's bout of laughter subsided.

" _It's not that_ ," David waved his hand dismissively, catching his breath. Out of the Numbers, he was one with a better relationship with the Black Cat, meaning that Heartnet would at least nod at him in greeting when they pass each other by. His happy-go-lucky attitude and idle chatter (mostly on gambling and the latest casino he'd run to the ground, which No. XIII, as he then was, was utterly uninterested in) was enough to cover for Heartnet's stoic silence when they were stuck in the same meeting briefing.

"It's that - seeing him try to become a Sweeper is just hilarious, it's actually the last thing I can see him doing. I mean, I dunno much about Sweepers, but they can't really kill the targets, right? And they can't damage property, or get other people injured or killed. That's so difficult."

"I'm guessing this is the whole reason he burnt down three streets in East City in the first place; he wasn't used to not being allowed to deal any damage to anything," commented Emilio helpfully, " I heard Sweepers have to pay for whatever property damage they caused." Hearing that, David burst into another fit of laughter.

East City was a small city sitting on the edge of Chronos' territory. When its mayor reported to HQ, tearfully, that some newbie Sweeper by the name of Train Heartnet had destroyed three whole streets in an attempt to chase down a B-ranked criminal, it was not difficult for the underground organisation to put two and two together.

Heartnet managed to arrest the criminal after totally trashing the area; the mayor, enraged, arrested Heartnet in turn. But the moment Heartnet realised he was in Chronos custody, he'd promptly bailed himself out before the Erasers or Numbers got there.

Sephiria, ever forbearing, had asked David and Emilio to keep a lookout for Heartnet in their coming mission, since they would be working around that area. She'd trusted them not to turn the whole thing violent. Emillio had smiled his acquiescing smile, and for the most part, Fapper just tried his best not to laugh in his captain's face.

"So he's knee deep in debt right now, for property damage," Mason noted wryly, "we froze his accounts right after he left, too, so I expect he'll be in a bit of a financial crisis."

"So he left Chronos and got himself broke. _Oh my god_ ," David wheezed, wiping away tears of hilarity. Emilio tapped his chin, considering.

"I wonder if he misses Chronos now. At least here, no one would care if you flattened a whole city so long as you get the target killed. It's less of a hassle."

David looked at him, expression turning solemn. "I always wondered if that is exactly why he left in the first place."

"I thought a woman was the cause of it all?" Emilio raised a brow gracefully and hummed. "In any event, if he thinks he can be done with the underworld just like that, he's wrong. It isn't even about Chronos chasing him down. I'm just saying he spent his whole life with Chronos, and old habits die hard."

"Well – maybe, maybe not. You're not getting any orders to erase him yet, and it doesn't seem as if he's going around undermining Chronos, so let's keep it at that now." Mason told them, shrugging lightly, and began to turn away.

"No. XII," David called after him, suddenly, "do you really think No. XIII will come back to us?"

Mason stopped in his tracks, crossing his hands behind his back. "I do wonder, IX. He's always been a hard nut to crack."

He left on that note, leaving David and Emilio to consider his words.

"Okay, so what do we do?" David ran a hand through his dreadlocks, and glanced sidelong at his fellow Number.

"We make sure the cat doesn't trash another living room," was the sedate reply.

* * *

They were too late, though; by the time they reached Reit City, its mayor was trying to arrest some Sweeper they'd identified as Train Heartnet for ransacking his mansion in the dead of the night, to no avail; Heartnet was nowhere to be seen. He'd obviously run off the moment the mayor sent people after him, or maybe he'd known that the Numbers were coming.

Either way, it proved that if the Black Cat did not want to be found, pinning him down would be a time-consuming and thankless task.

The former XIII, Emilio noted as he implicitly told the mayor to shut up and let them do their things, was _really_ like a curious cat that batted and chewed at things that caught its interest everywhere it were. He had a knack for upsetting the most powerful people wherever he went, and it wasn't a good trait at all.

The next day, the papers had a field day reporting on the various corrupt and illegal deals the mayor had been doing behind his citizen's backs, because apparently the evidence had legs and had found their way to the media's offices early in the morning. It didn't take a genius to connect the dots.

"Who does he think he is, Robin Hood?" David complained, when they were forced to clean up after the wayward Cat. Emilio grimaced, clocking one of the mayor's guards with his bow - the old fart had refused to come quietly and had instead sent the entirety of his guards against them. All in all it was an incredibly stupid move, especially coming from a (now former) Chronos member, and the two Numbers just feel insulted.

"The next time I see the stupid Cat," David declared, roundhouse kicking the mayor himself into the burning furnace and ignoring the excruciated howl that ensued, "I'm going to _punch him in the face._ "

Emilio, who was usually against needless and vulgar violence, didn't comment.

They didn't bother to look for Heartnet after they had rounded up the traitors; they'd had more than enough on their plates, and the orders said _"keep a lookout for XIII"_ , not _"dig him out no matter what in your non-existent spare time"_.

Having been a Number for so long, David and Emilio understood Sephiria's nuances.


	4. VII-V-XI

**VII.**

 **V.**

 **XI.**

The atmosphere in HQ had changed. Jenos could feel the tension, crackling like electricity, through the corridors; people talked in low, hushed tones around him, as though they were afraid of being overheard. All for one person.

 _Creed Diskence._

The lowly Eraser who had betrayed them and left a trail of dead comrades in his wake. The fiend who had killed No. X and gotten off with it. Jenos would never forgive him, except that the whole Chronos grapevine seemed to have no idea where the crazy whitehaired man was right now. Creed knew too well how Chronos obtained their information, and had managed to stay under the radar comfortably up until now. It infuriated the Elders to no end.

It didn't help that everyone knew Creed was up to something. No. XIII's desertion of Chronos may have been grave news, but no one genuinely thought that he wanted to make an enemy of Chronos - he had simply wanted to run away from it all. All, Jenos understood, for a girl (this the No. VII could empathise with, but the Black Cat should know that duty came before everything else) The worst Chronos could expect of him was information leakage. Which apparently didn't happen, and he'd heard from the grapevines that the man was now roaming free around the countries as a Sweeper. It was bizarre and unbelievable, but it was how things were with Train Heartnet, now.

Creed was a different story altogether. His animosity against Chronos was well felt, and although he was lying low now, it was only a matter of time that he lashed out against them.

Nizer and Beluga were speaking in low voices in one corner of the room. Jenos brightened upon spotting his partners and made a beeline towards them, waving animatedly.

"Hey!"

"Well, if it isn't Jenos," Nizer gave him a lopsided grin; Beluga simply nodded at him with a small smile. "How did your mission go?"

"Swimmingly," the No. VII gave them his most charming smile, "I didn't know that Lascone City was the city of beautiful women."

"Does it matter? You never have a chance with them anyway," Nizer told him, chewing on his cigar, and Jenos feigned hurt.

"Do you have to be so mean, Nizer? I assure you, I'm so popular they were all heartbroken to see me go." When neither of them reacted, he whipped his head to Beluga. "Say something, Beluga!"

It was hard to tell with the sunglasses, but Jenos thought the man was rolling his eyes at his antics.

"Getting back to the matter at hand," Beluga finally said after a pause, ignoring Jenos' indignant expression, " _Creed Diskence._ "

Jenos' expression turned cold in a moment's notice and he straightened, narrowing his eyes at Beluga. "What about Creed Diskence."

"We've already met with Sephiria before you came, in the interest of time," Nizer said, closing the door of the room with a casual flick of his wrist, "and this much is confirmed: Creed Diskence has found himself lackeys, although we don't know how many of them there are yet. The reports are coming in soon."

Jenos nodded. That much was expected; of course Creed would be plotting behind their backs. When information about the madman's hideout came in, Cerberus would be the first to charge in and take him down.

"And one more thing: he's looking for XIII."

That took Jenos by surprise. He didn't think Creed was connected to the infamous Black Cat in any way, but maybe he was wrong.

"Why would he be looking for Heartnet."

Nizer took a long drag of his cigar. "According to records, they were mission partners, at least for a short while. Creed has an unhealthy admiration for the Black Cat's power even now."

Jenos stiffened, tense at that information. "So he wants Heartnet to join his merry little band. Don't tell me they're already working together." Because that would be a major cause of concern for Chronos, and Jenos would rather not deal with the two of them together.

"The good news is, apparently Heartnet hates Creed for some reason, because if the reports are not kidding me, he attacked Creed on Lunafort Tower and the two of them nearly brought the whole tower down."

"That's comforting," Jenos said wryly.

"Well, anyway, here's the deal: if we find Heartnet, we find Creed. And Heartnet isn't that hard to find, since he's working openly as a Sweeper, it's just that he moves around a lot and always disappear on us the moment he knows we're on his tracks. Playing tag with him has so far been a waste of Chronos' time, honestly."

"How do I say, he's supposedly the best person for assassination missions out of us all, what do you expect," Jenos shrugged, darkly amused, "well, who is the last unfortunate folk to see him?"

"Cleaver, one of our Erasers. The Elders sent him – he was Heartnet's mentee," said Beluga.

"Oh, come on – they can't be seriously thinking that someone like him could take down No. XIII."

"They aren't counting on him to do that. They are just counting on Heartnet to _not_ kill Cleaver. They've already learnt that he won't."

"That makes sense, somehow," Jenos said, after a moment of thought, "so what are our orders now?"

Nizer scratched his head. "Well – nothing. We use Heartnet as bait, and jump Creed the second he pokes his head out from wherever he's hiding at. Knowing Creed and his crazy obsession, he's bound to show up sooner or later."

"Let's just stand by and get on with our lives until the time is ripe, then." Jenos snickered, and his two partners shook their heads, smiling.


	5. X

**A/N: Another chapter that incorporates manga with anime, this time with Lin Xiaoli, one of my favourite characters of this show. Enjoy.**

* * *

 **X.**

The first time Lin Xiaoli saw Train Heartnet – the Sweeper, not the notorious Number – on screen, he didn't believe what he was seeing.

Dressed in a ridiculous blue half jacket, a white undershirt, black pants and a bell around his neck (oh, the irony), the former Number was grinning brilliantly at something off the screen; at this angle he couldn't have looked older than eighteen.

He had looked nothing like what Lin Xiaoli knew of him.

Since his days as an Eraser in Chronos, Lin Xiaoli had spent much of his free time gathering information on the legendary Black Cat. He was familiar with the stoic expression, the burning amber eyes; the spiky brown hair, the trademark black coat and his weapon of choice, Hades.

He was also well versed in XIII's personal history – how Heartnet's parents had been assassinated by Zagine Axeloake, how he'd roamed the streets with a single handgun as his companion as a child; how Karl Walken had subsequently taken him in; how he'd become an Eraser for Chronos in his early teens, and –

how Chronos had made an exception for him and made him No. XIII, at the tender age of eighteen.

He knew that the Elders felt humiliated and threatened by the Black Cat' s defection, but it was worth noting that they hadn't really tried to kill him seriously, even until now. Chronos fanatics like Kranz and Baldorias continued to be enraged at his treachery. The Captain and Vice-Captain were just eternally exasperated at how difficult Heartnet was making himself, and though they had never said it out loud, their soft spot for him was apparent.

Lin – who had admired the Black Cat's prowess and rise to power, and who was a specialist in reconnaissance – just felt curious. About the reason Heartnet defected, and about the drastic change in his personality over the short time he'd left Chronos' guidance.

The last time he'd confronted Train about this, he'd nearly got himself shot just by showing Creed's face in front of the Black Cat. It was a most intriguing reaction, and it was a shame that he didn't have any further time to talk with the man at the time.

And now that they had beaten Creed, things had slowed down for Chronos and its Numbers. Sephiria was down for the moment, needing some much needed rest after her showdown with Creed, leaving the rest of them to clean up after the mess, or tend to other less significant missions.

After a bout of concerned nudging from Rinslet, and for the former No. XIII's ease of mind, Jenos had put Train into a hospital not under Chronos' direct control after the battle with Creed - okay, he lied; the hospital _was_ Chronos-funded and teeming with Chronos informants. Belze had wanted to know how the Black Cat was holding up, and he wasn't really in a position to say no to his vice-captain. But this he could guarantee: the former No. XIII and his friends wouldn't come to any harm during their stay here, not on Jenos' honour, when he'd already done so much for Chronos.

Faint from severe blood loss, a cracked rib and a myriad of other serious injuries courtesy of Creed, Train had not been in a position to object when he was hauled onto a first aid helicopter and whisked off to the hospital. Seeing how badly Train needed medical attention and seeing as it was Jenos, Sven and Eve had not pressed the issue, but had simply followed Jenos when he boarded the helicopter.

Now that Train was well awake if not fully recovered, he'd immediately seen through the hospital for what it was (ouch) and had given Jenos his most evil eye the next time he came to visit, but he'd otherwise stayed put. This was a long way from the days when he would raise his hackles against anyone in Chronos approaching him who wasn't Sephiria, Belze or Karl Walken, and Jenos was a little heartened.

Even if Heartnet was not ever going back to Chronos and no longer agreed with their vision anymore, it meant that they could still build a civil relationship with the man and did not have to play the excruciating hide-and-seek game with him every time they went looking for him.

* * *

Lin Xiaoli adjusted the lab coat on his shoulders, easing a smile onto his borrowed face as he knocked on the door of Train's private room.

"Mr. Heartnet, how are you feeling today?" he asked in his equally borrowed voice as he stepped towards the former XIII.

He saw the cat-like amber eyes narrow in suspicion, and then the tassel of Hades was in his face in a blink of an eye.

"Do you have to be so violent, Mr. Black Cat?" he sighed as he whipped out Seiran and blocked the tassel two inches from its target, letting the disguise on his face fall away.

"Look who's talking," Train snapped, jerking Hade's wire back like a lash. Lin noted he was taking care not to move his torso, presumably to avoid aggravating his injuries. "That's the third time you've sneaked up on me in disguise. Lin Xiaoli, is it."

Train recalled that the former No. X, Ash, had died at Creed's hand two years back, in an attempt to hunt down the white-haired man. He had never met Ash in person, but he had heard about the staff-wielding Number quite a few times during his time in Chronos. But this Lin Xiaoli – he had no recollection of ever hearing about or seeing him in the organisation at all.

"Well, now that you've mentioned it." Lin was all smiles and cheery innocence again even as he tucked Seiran away, "How did you know it wasn't the doctor?"

"You walk different," was the irate answer, and Lin blinked; he was sure he had got the way the doctor walked pat down. The former No. XIII truly had incredible eyesight. He inclined his head slightly in respect.

"As expected of the Black Cat."

"So what do you want, you sneaky bastard?" The former Number's expression was petulant, like a child, and this jarred so much with the Black Cat he knew from images and records that Lin laughed, softly.

"I said ' _we'll talk later_ ', that time at Creed's castle," he tilted his head, letting his bangs frame his face in a most unthreatening manner, "so I've come, as promised."

Train glared, catching on. Lin had chosen to force him into a talk exactly at a time when Train was stuck in bed due to his injuries and couldn't exactly walk out on him. The Magician was truly cunning, and Train liked him even less for that.

"I remember telling you clearly that I don't want to see you ever again," he sniped, face scrunching into a disgusted expression. Lin gave him a mock expression of hurt, putting one hand over his heart.

"Don't be like this, Mr. Heartnet; I've been your fan for a very long time."

"Really, because you like to grate on my nerves far too much for someone who claims to be my fan."

"I must apologize for how our last meeting turned out," the No. X acquiesced, amicably, "I really wanted to know more about you, and there was simply not enough time to talk properly. That was why I pushed your buttons on purpose. But now that we have more than enough time to talk, I won't do that again."

The implication that Train would not – or could not – refuse this talk jarred too much for Train's liking.

"I'm not liking you better this time around, you know," said Train darkly, "and no, I'm not talking to you. You think you've cornered me, but I can always kick you out with Hades."

"This is a busy hospital. The patients will not be happy if two Numbers start fighting inside the building. It would be a noisy affair," Lin noted mildly, and Train scowled.

"I'm not a Number anymore."

"And why are you not a Number anymore?" Lin inquired, suddenly solemn, and Train scratched his head in exasperation.

"You're not going to just go away, are you," said Train wryly, leaning forward to nick one of the apples on his bedside table, something Jenos brought in to keep Train's killer glare off his back, "great; then you can stand here while I have tea."

"And while you have tea, Mr. Heartnet, perhaps I can entertain you with the story of why I joined Chronos." Lin said, unruffled.

Train's brow quirked up, but he didn't comment and turned to bite into his apple instead. Lin had him hooked; it had been curiosity that killed the cat, after all. The No. X took this as a cue to continue.

"I used to live in a village on the boundary of two small countries, with my tribesmen. The Lins were practitioners of the art of _bian lian_ \- face changing, if you want a literal translation. It was a secret art and it was our pride."

So that was where his camouflage skills came from. Train's expression turned inquisitive, and Lin shook his head.

"No, it wasn't meant for reconnaissance purposes - we were never spies. It was our cultural heritage." Seeing as he had answered Train's unspoken question, Lin continued.

"Then, because of a series of border disputes, relations between the two countries worsened. There were skirmishes here and there at first, but one day it became a full blown war. Without any warning. Our village was caught in the middle of the bloodshed. All because we lived on the border."

The rest didn't have to be said. Train pondered that for a while, spinning the half eaten apple absently. It landed lopsided on his palm.

"That doesn't explain you joining Chronos."

"All in good time, Mr. Heartnet," the No. X smiled a mirthless smile at him. "The destruction of my village - why do you think it happened?"

Train was slightly taken aback, but considered the question with due earnestness. "Because the world was – and still is – in chaos and wasn't safe."

"Well said, Mr. Heartnet. And how do we stop that chaos? How do we bring the world back to some semblance of peace? Even if it's too late for people like us, then for those who still have a chance."

Lin's words were implicit; he had apparently done his research, and knew very well why Train himself had come to join Chronos in the first place. The former XIII eyed him, expressionless.

"And you believe Chronos will bring peace to the world."

"I believe the current situation speaks for itself," countered Lin. "With Chronos taking hold of a third of the world's economy, those countries under Chronos control have enjoyed unprecedented peace and stability. Not even you can deny this, Mr Heartnet."

"No," countered Train, "but they achieve this by killing off all that oppose them. Not even you can deny this."

"No, we can't; there is no excuse. We are killers, and we will do anything and everything in our power to achieve world peace. You understood that, Mr. Heartnet."

Train snorted. "Sorry, I don't think I cared for anything besides growing stronger and getting the missions done."

"That's not true, Mr. Heartnet, and you know it," Lin Xiaoli was frowning now. "There is a reason why Chronos chose you to be No. XIII, instead of someone like Creed Diskence. There is a reason you were offered a management position with Chronos, even though you turned it down. There is a reason why No. I and No. II hold you in high regard, even up to this day. It may sound hypocritical, but the heart behind the weapon does matter."

Here he put a fist against his heart, ebony eyes sliding close briefly.

Do not ever forget why you choose to wield a gun, and who you wield it for, he remembered Sephiria's words with a sudden vividness, and seeing Lin Xiaoli now, he was sure the Captain had instilled into Lin the same principles as well. _Do not ever forget why you choose to wield a glittering shawl_ , or something.

Lin apparently took his sudden chuckle the wrong way, because his gaze at Train grew stern.

"I'll ask you again, Mr. Heartnet. Why did you leave Chronos?"

Train had a feeling that Lin's personal history was not something that he shared lightly. It was offered as a courtesy for asking him about _his_ past. As some sort of equivalent exchange. Train felt a grudging respect for this, and eventually leaned his head on one hand, sighing.

"You're one nosy Number, you know that?"

Lin smiled at him, eyes determined. "Reconnaissance is my expertise. Nosiness is a job requirement, Mr. Heartnet."

Train closed his eyes, as if debating with himself about something.

"I had a friend who was a Sweeper," he said, reluctantly, "she lived freely, true only to herself and her own ideals. She used her gun only according to her will, and she always used it to save people – never to kill them. She loved the world, even if it had been cruel to her, and wished for happiness in every one she met.

"I envied her freedom, her way of living. I decided I didn't want to shoot people just because I am ordered to, anymore. In fact, I decided I am not going to take orders from anyone anymore."

He didn't say any more than this, but Lin knew not to press. The No. X noted the past tense when his "friend" was mentioned, and felt the pieces of the story coming together.

"Creed…" he ventured, carefully.

The Black Cat hesitated, but continued with resolution. "…killed her."

"I see. I am sorry for your loss," he said quietly, and Train spread his arms open, a gesture that said "there you go". Lin looked torn for a moment, like he was digesting Train's story.

"Mr. Heartnet, if I may say so - you could have done so much more with your power, to realize your friend's dream for this world. As a Sweeper, you could never have the same sway and power a Chronos Number wields – this you know well. As one person you could never guide the world to peace."

"Well, I don't think I could bring myself to care world peace or whatever too much; I'm just thinking of myself and well, I just want to be free."

Lin threw him a look that was half disapproving, half exasperated. "That is also not true, Mr. Heartnet. Had you cared not a whit about this world and how it fares, you would not have helped those who couldn't even afford to put up an award for free, nor would you have turned down Mr. Walken's bounty, with which you could have easily repaid whatever debt you owed up to now."

Lin simply _knew_ too much for anyone's comfort, and Train waved at him to stop, looking pained. "Okay, I get it, I get it already. You're not going to tell me to go back to Chronos, are you. Because I've heard this shit for two years already and you're not going to convince me."

Lin tilted his head in good humour. "You were an invaluable member of Chronos, Mr. Heartnet. However, Chronos will go on, with or without you. I won't comment on your decision any further.

"But what you did to Chronos...was not fair. From Chronos' point of view, you have rewarded its trust with betrayal and desertion. They nurtured and promoted you, and you responded by leaving the organisation without warning and taking Hades with you."

Train chuckled, ominously amused. "I was ' _just a pet cat Chronos kept_ '; there was never much love between the organisation and me, unfortunately."

No. X wondered where that reference came from, and his expression turned critical. "Is that so? If you've known how many times Miss Sephiria and Mr. Belze have spoken up for you in front of the Elders and how many times they have been berated for that, you won't say that."

The Black Cat was mute. He must have known Sephiria and Belze long enough to know this was something they would do for him, and he must have felt something for that even if he didn't care for Chronos itself anymore.

"I won't go back to Chronos, in any event," he deadpanned and blinked at Lin, questioning. "What are you trying to say?"

"Just a proposal, Mr. Heartnet," Lin laced his fingers in front of him. "Talk to the Elders one last time. Resign formally. None of us are particularly fond of being stuck in you and the Elders' little spat, and our men have better things to do than being deployed to track you all around the world, Mr. Heartnet. You don't want to be dodging Chronos the rest of your life, either."

Train looked at him as though he was stupid. " _Yeah_ , because that will go over so well. Chronos doesn't forgive desertion, remember?"

"The battle with Creed changes everything," Lin insisted, ebony eyes bright, "the Elders now know that you don't mean to threaten Chronos, and that you are still willing to fight for the good of the world."

A pause. " At least you are in a Chronos hospital and no one has tried to kill you yet."

"So this _is_ a Chronos hospital. I'm going to kill Jenos." Train said, comically incensed, and Lin chuckled despite himself.

"No. VII holds you in high regard. Many of us do," he stood up, staring down at Train in that intense way of his. "Give this a thought, Mr. Heartnet. If you do decide to visit us in headquarters, we'll make sure that you don't have to break yourself out."

That was a big promise. No. X was one of the people at the top of Chronos' food chain, but this was something that even he could not promise, at least not alone, if he didn't want to go against Chronos' orders.

"I'm starting to think that Sephiria may or may not have sent you here," Train said abruptly, assessing, and to his credit, Lin's expression did not change.

"You wound me, Mr. Heartnet. As I've said, I _am_ your biggest fan."

Train gave him a dry smirk and gestured at the door, not unkindly. "That's bullshit. You've overstayed your welcome, Lin Xiaoli. Get out of here."

Lin did as he was told, before turning back to flash a particularly bright smile at the former Number.

"I await you at HQ, Mr. Heartnet."


	6. XIII

**A/N: Following the "Five Times +1" prompt, this is the "And the One Time…" chapter of the piece, and the finale to the whole affair.**

 **The story revolves around Train; so it should only be fair that it wrapped up with him. Out of the six chapters I've had the most trouble with this one, especially with how I portray the Elders; but I hope it turned out well. Thank you for following this story to its end; I really appreciated the support!**

* * *

XIII.

Sephiria was at their door.

Train hadn't even told her his address in this city, but he didn't need to - he was sure Chronos was completely aware of where he lived and where he went the moment he entered this city.

As he descended the stairs, Sven and Eve following him, he wondered if this was the right thing to do - if it wasn't just something done upon a whim, and that he should have thought better than just jump into Chronos' lair, his Sweeper partners in tow.

But no - just as he'd told Kyoko, Sephiria was manipulative, but she wasn't a bully; if she'd wanted to lure him into a trap, she wouldn't have needed to wait until now. He'd trusted her as his captain, and he would trust her, even now.

"Heartnet. I come on the orders of the Elders," she informed him readily as he opened the doors for her. Flanked by two guards, she stood proud and tall in her dress uniform; Train, garbed in his usual outfit, looked almost insultingly casual by contrast. This choice of wardrobe, too, was intentional: it was an implicit declaration that he was a free man and no longer under Chronos control.

Train raised an eyebrow at her words. All the previous times the Numbers had approached him, it had been by Sephiria's orders or their own volition. The Elders had been too proud to admit that they wanted him back. It didn't mean that the Elders didn't know of these encounters - they'd simply turned a blind eye to them in the hopes that the meetings would result in something positive. They never did. In a way, the Elders still hadn't given up on him.

"Well, lead the way," he'd flashed a smile full of teeth at her, all mischief and cheekiness, and the corners of her mouth turned up in exasperated fondness.

He'd left Sven and Eve at the inn, much to their trepidation; they'd wanted to accompany him, but he'd been adamant that they stayed where they were; their presence would only complicate an already intricate situation, and if he ever needed to hightail it out of HQ, the less people the better.

It wasn't that Sven was disapproving of his meeting with the Chronos Elders, though he was understandably jittery about it. Deep in his heart he'd always known it was not in Train's best interest to run around, high profile and all, forever escaping from Chronos. Of course Train could hold his own if attacked, but he did considerably less well when he had to cover the people around him (which was why Creed was forever targeting Train's friends in his fervent pleas for the man to join him), and he shouldn't need to be on his toes wherever he went, as if he was a fugitive. And knowing Train, it just wasn't in his nature to lay low, even if he was an expert at it.

The three of them had duked it out on the issue the night before, the argument escalating to a near brawl between Train and Sven (" _The innkeeper is going to kick us all out_ ," noted Eve coolly as she curled around her book in one corner of her bed), but the Black Cat was known for his waywardness - whatever he wanted, he got, and god forbid that anything get in his way. Sven was the one who consequently backed off, still hissing and grumpy, but he'd known Train too well and knew that he wouldn't change his mind on this.

Train, however, was not so stupid as to think that his partners would stay quietly at the inn like he'd told them to, but well, he couldn't force them into anything, could he. Chronos, knowing that they were his partners, would be reluctant to do anything untoward to them (they could count on him raiding headquarters again if they did try anything), and would probably make effort to protect them, even, so he was not too worried.

The limousine ride back the HQ was quiet with anticipation. Train leaned back in his seat, contemplative, and stared out at the passing traffic. This city didn't hold the best memories for him, and although he'd been everywhere around the world, this was one city he had never bothered to go back to. Aside from the fact that it would be extremely stupid to revisit Chronos' stronghold without good reason, he was just not fond of the place.

They turned around a corner, and Train looked up to find himself looking straight at his apartment - the last one he'd stayed in during his time with Chronos (before he left them, forever). At some point, Saya had moved in next to him, became his only friend. Then Chronos officers had come for him, having discovered that he'd forfeited his missions and let his targets go. He'd then come back to an empty apartment and an ominous note from Creed.

He tensed. Perhaps there were just too many memories in this city, too much shadows lurking in the dark, and it had been a bad idea to come back.

"Heartnet," Sephiria's voice drew him back from his reverie, and he blinked at her, a little disoriented. She smiled, azure eyes transparent in the slanting sunlight passing through the window, "you're safe here."

She didn't say any more than that. Caught unawares, he looked back to the window with a sort of unnatural haste. But from the slight relaxing of his shoulders, Sephiria knew that in some ways, her words had managed to reach him.

* * *

His former captain had disembarked the limousine the moment it reached headquarters, citing that there were preparations before the meeting that she needed to attend to.

Leaving Train with only her two guards and chauffeur.

Train raised his eyebrows. This was an abrupt and curious development, as though Sephiria was sure that he would be fine barging into HQ unaccompanied. While the Chronos people would probably not start shooting at him on sight (Train would not blame them if they did), they had good reason to be alarmed had he started waltzing into their midst with no prior warning. Knowing she must have something in mind - Sephiria never went into anything less than crazily prepared - he got off the limousine at the prompting of the chauffeur.

Three steps towards the main building, Train found himself having cold feet and nearly wanted to go back where he'd come.

HQ was obviously in a sort of silent uproar. To be fair, he'd only left for a meagre two years, and his face was still very much recognisable among the Chronos members. Also, it seemed, that him coming was somewhat of a public knowledge; the front doors of HQ were packed with people who were all busy pretending they were on patrol or heading out or something and not trying to get a glimpse of the legendary Black Cat.

Train hesitated, but Lin Xiaoli and Jenos chose to emerge from the crowd at that exact moment, beckoning at him side by side by the front doors. This was obviously intended, and it wouldn't do for him to chicken out now, if only for his reputation.

"Hey, you came," the No. VII said, smirking. "I thought you wouldn't come after all."

Train threw him a look, cross, and didn't dignify that with an answer.

"Welcome, Mr. Heartnet." Lin Xiaoli on the other hand was all warm smiles and hospitality again, dressed this time in a traditional wide-sleeved long coat that opened at the clavicle and showed off his Number marking. He spread his arms in a gesture of goodwill; his sleeves, longer than his arms by design, hung off his fingertips. It reminded him of the strange white garment that Saya had been so fond of.

Lin was not on mission, then, or maybe he'd always gone on reconnaissance missions in street clothes.

"What is with the crowd?" Train gestured to the Chronos members gathered around them, who promptly turned away and pretended to mind their own business.

"Ah," Lin put one hand on his chin, "consider this publicity, if you will. The whole Chronos will know about this meeting by next morning."

"You're kidding me," Train said incredulously, "who made this public?"

He regretted the question the moment it left his mouth, because the answer was obvious. Lin turned a slightly reproaching look at him, one that said he should have known better than to ask.

"Miss Sephiria, of course. For Mr. Heartnet's own protection."

Train sighed, understanding the logic behind the arrangement. Grudgingly grateful, he stalked off in the direction of the doors. The gathered mass parted like the Red Sea before him.

The long way to the Elders' Rooms was as he remembered. It wasn't really the Elders' Rooms for real, since the Elders themselves never lived there or even appeared there in flesh, but it was where all of Chronos, in particular the Numbers, interacted with them. Train never thought he'd come ever again. The last time he'd been here, he was being escorted out of the room for single confinement. It was not a pleasant memory. His escorts, though - he thought with slight humour as he glanced at Jenos and Lin - had been upgraded this time around.

"Isn't two Numbers chaperoning me a little too much? I'm guessing sneaky guy here has missions to do, even if you are just womanizing all the time," the Black Cat complained as he slid a sideway glance at Jenos, who glowered.

"And here I've said such nice things about you in front of the Elders, too, I'm taking them all back," he turned to face Train, sober. "We're just escorting you - thought it'd be good to see a familiar face around here."

"I'm seeing a bunch of familiar faces around here already," commented Train dryly, playful facade dissipating, and Jenos chuckled.

"Not in that way. By the way, Nizer told me to tell you thanks."

It was said in a lighthearted tone, but Train nodded, understanding the gravity of that statement. "How is he doing?"

"No. V should be able to rejoin us in a few weeks. He's just resting because Miss Sephiria told him to take it easy." Lin offered, smiling.

Nizer would have learnt of Beluga's demise by now. It would have been difficult to swallow, knowing that Beluga had died because of him. But Beluga had perished in the line of duty, and in a way this was the fate of all Numbers. While powerful, few Numbers ever managed to keep their places for decades like Mason did. Train pondered this, his attention shifting to Lin's youthful, cheerful face.

"And why are _you_ here?"

"I've already said that I'll await you at HQ," was the ready answer, reeking with deja vu. Lin stopped before heavy doors that were all too familiar, gesturing forward. "This is the furthest we can take you. I wish you the best, Mr. Heartnet. Please rest assured that we have done all we could, to ensure that this goes smoothly. We await you in the lobby."

Meaning that they had tried to change the Elders' mind about him, at the risk of personal backlash. The Elders did not accept opposing views easily and were not hesitant in dealing out punishments whenever they saw fit.

Lin wasn't smiling anymore. There was something strained in his gaze, like he still had a remaining suspicion that the meeting will blow up in all their faces. Train patted him on the shoulder, with a smirk meaning to comfort. The Numbers had gone to great lengths to ensure his safety when they didn't have to; and while he had already turned his back on Chronos and didn't care to befriend any of their Numbers, he was not known to be a particularly ungrateful person. "We'll see what goes."

With that, he entered the Elders' Rooms, leaving the two Numbers at the door.

* * *

There were two silhouettes in front of the gigantic screens of the room. Train didn't need three guesses to know who they were; Sephiria materialized from the shadows with a dancer's grace, and he nodded in greeting.

"Heartnet, I'm glad that you are willing to come."

"Well, you planned it, didn't you. That was why you sent Lin."

Sephiria didn't say anything either way, but her gaze at him was both omniscient and indulgent. Train had a glancing thought that had he not met Saya, had he not been introduced to an alternative way to life, he would have continued to follow her command without question for the sole reason that she was one of the very few persons who had ever showed him kindness in his life.

"Heartnet..." started Belze, holding his gaze for a few moments. He was a man of few words. His message was clear, and it was Train who looked away first, scratching his head with an embarrassed snort.

"I know, okay? I'm not here to pick a fight," he said in irritation, in reply to Belze's unspoken request for him to watch his words with the Elders, just this once.

"Neither are we," said Belze calmly, a stark contrast to Train's open petulance, "but you have known this for quite some time. You are not an enemy we want to make, Heartnet."

Chronos was not an enemy Train wanted to make, either, if he was honest to himself. Even if he himself was strong enough not to be afraid of the organisation, he had his own partners to think about.

"Right, let's do it," he clapped his hand with exaggerated cheer, walking over to the main screens and placing himself in plain view of the cameras.

The three screens flashed to life, illuminating the dark room and its inhabitants in an eerie white glow.

* * *

The Elders did not look much different than when he'd last seen them, more than two years ago. There were times when Train had vague suspicions that the Elders were not real people, but some sort of programme Chronos used to rule the world. After all, no one in the organisation had ever seen them in person (save Sephiria and perhaps Belze), and they never seemed to age at all in all the times Train had seen them.

The rage they had smothered him with when he announced his decision not to follow their orders anymore, however, was all too human and put his remaining doubts to rest.

This time, though, the Elders looked markedly less furious with him. He'd half expected them to start snarling and spitting accusations the second the screens went on, but this was apparently not to be. It was as though the passing of time had sapped them of their anger, and the Elders considered him carefully as though they were seeing him for the first time. To them he must have looked novel, like a whole new person altogether.

There was a short silence in which neither the Elders nor Train knew what to say. As usual, it was Wilzark who took the lead.

"No. I reported," he said evenly, the expression on his face unreadable, "that you have defeated Creed."

So they were starting from common ground. Chronos and him had both wanted Creed down, if for different reasons. It was much easier to talk about that first.

"It could have gone either way," allowed Train with a shrug, "he'd gone and made himself immortal after all."

"But you emerged victorious," said Wilzark, "you have not lost your touch, XIII."

Train frowned at the unsettling use of his former code name, but didn't comment. He really had no idea where this conversation was going, and the best he could do was to go with the flow.

The silence stretched on.

"Why did you let Creed go?" said Kin after a while, without any hint of accusation, and this was a curious question; if Chronos had wanted to stop Creed from leaving, the man wouldn't have been able to get anywhere, even with Echidonna's power of the Gate. Instead, the underground organization had acknowledged Train's decision to let him go without comment or intervention. Of course, it had been Train who defeated Creed and honour dictated that Train should have the last say on how to deal with him, but honour counted very little where Chronos was concerned, especially with a man as dangerous as Creed.

"He'd lost all his powers and his will to fight. He didn't pose a threat anymore," he shrugged one shoulder dismissively, hands shoved into his pocket.

"A man like him will cook up yet another disaster in no time, if left to himself. Not to mention that he has a huge bounty on his head, as I'm sure you no doubt know," chimed in Shin with much more fervor. He had always been the more hotheaded among the three Elders, and also the easiest to read. Train looked up and considered the question. The light from the screens lit his eyes the colour of molten gold.

"The plan was to stop him from wreaking more havoc on this world. It was done. That was the end of the matter."

"Oh, but it wasn't. Surely you cannot be this naïve, XIII," Wilzark informed him with careful deliberation, "chances are, Creed will come back to find you once he's able to stand on his own feet again. If you keep on letting trouble go, sooner or later they will be the death of you. You are powerful, XIII, and no doubt confident about your own abilities, but it will be your own folly that spells your demise."

That was actually sound and objective advice, and something that Rinslet had scolded him repeatedly for ( _"Do you actually think you have nine lives or something?"_ ), so Train really didn't have a good retort to this.

"Well, I'm sure wherever he is now, Chronos is keeping a close tab on him. I'm done with him," Train acquiesced instead with an offhand grin, because no, he was not so naïve as to believe that Chronos would let Creed roam around freely, despite Sephiria's assurances that they'd " _let him go_ ". There were many interpretations of what constituted letting a guy go.

The Elders looked slightly taken aback. Oh, right; he didn't use to smile, much less grin. He didn't use to let _any_ of his targets go either.

It was a while before the masters of Chronos could find their words. Wilzark frowned down at him, but there was no fury on his countenance. "You truly have changed, XIII."

"And so I have," Train said, wryly.

"No. I and No. II have updated us on what you have been doing these two years," Kin started, and Train suppressed a wince; he might or might not have destroyed one or two of Chronos' towns during his earlier missions. He hoped the Elders were not too vexed by this. There was slight amusement on Sephiria and Belze's faces – obviously they'd seen through what Train was thinking and found it entertaining.

"We have also heard reports from other Numbers. For some reason, many seem to speak highly of you," Shin said begrudgingly, and Train was sure he'd chastised them more than once for fraternizing with the traitor. The Numbers, though, were mostly people with firm values and opinions. While they obviously were not going to argue with the Elders on this one, they wouldn't have retracted their views so easily, either. The Elders were stuck up and self-assured, but they were not blind; while people like Jenos and Lin would have no other choice but to go after Train had the Elders ordered them to do so, they wouldn't have stopped respecting him in any case.

Well, at least Baldorias and Kranz still hated him with fervor, if that was any consolation, Train thought dryly, and tried to keep as straight a face as he could. Wilzark scanned his face for any reaction, and finding none, he continued.

"We have considered the situation," Wilzark intoned, and for a moment he looked slightly hapless, like a father who had no idea what to do with his wayward son, and Train noted this with mute wonder. The expression was gone within a second and the aged Elder pulled his shoulders back, staring down sternly at the former Number.

"We will overlook your treasonous actions just this once, XIII. You will resign from the Chronos Numbers with immediate effect. You will no longer bear the name No. XIII and shall no longer be a member of Chronos the moment you leave this room. We have no further need of a Number who could no longer pledge his life to the peace of the world."

Train resisted the destructive urge to put his foot in his mouth and comment that he hadn't been No. XIII for a very long time, thank you very much, and what had happened to _Chronos does not forgive defection?_ – Sephiria was narrowing her eyes at him dangerously, her back to the Elders, and he knew she was going to _kill him with her gaze_ if he did not behave. This was the farthest extent of Chronos' forgiveness and the lowest the Elders would allow themselves to sink to, and he understood that, but the presumptuous attitude still rubbed him the wrong way.

He flashed his former captain a disgruntled look, a little cowed. Her glare sharpened, and he just nodded diplomatically at the Elders.

"Be on your way, Heartnet. But if you ever go against Chronos again, you'll find that we will be far less forgiving than we are today," Shin huffed, giving him the evil eye. Train stared, expressionless. Shin might be his favourite Elder out of the three, for the sole reason that he was far more straightforward and open with his emotions. His debut as the thirteen Number was an exception to the rule, and it would seem that his resignation from the Numbers would equally be an exception after all that had happened.

Train gave the Elders a slight nod in acknowledgement and walked out, head high. He didn't look back even once.

His hand brushed against the holster at his hip as he greeted Jenos and Lin, who had just grabbed themselves a coffee, and he realized, quite suddenly, that no one had said anything about returning Hades. And knowing the Elders – knowing his captain – it couldn't be an oversight and must have been something intentional.

He caressed the handle of his longtime partner, still safe in its holster ( _"That didn't even last five minutes!"_ exclaimed Jenos), and decided that Chronos must have meant to gift it to him, as a parting present.

(And if it wasn't supposed to be a present, Train found that he really couldn't care less.)

* * *

This time around, Lin was disguised as a scruffy bartender, big hands clumsy as he poured milk into Train's glass. It was Eve who realised and jumped him first, feather arrows gushing from her arm and zooming point blank towards Lin's face. The No. X ducked with a grace that belied his big-bodied, lumbering disguise, and the arrows embedded themselves on the bar's wooden wall before dissipating.

Train sighed. The tenants of the bar started screaming for them to take the fight outside.

"This is…what? The fourth time in three months?" Train sniped from his haphazard perch on the huge rock at Lin, who had settled across from him, a picture of grace and sophistication. Somewhere along the way, Eve had taken a liking to the black-haired Number when she found out that they shared a common love of books, and had warmed up to him even more when he had lent her _The Art of War_ the last time he came. It was a real classic, he'd said, proudly, and Eve had taken extra care of the book as it was apparent how much it meant to Lin.

"I've finished it," Eve interrupted, scooting close to the Number and uncovering _The Art of War_ from one of her scarves, which she had kept the book in. She gave him a small, shy smile. "Such wise words from your predecessors; I'm enlightened. Thank you."

Lin looked truly happy as he sipped the tea Sven prepared for him. By now this was a common occurrence, and Sven no longer jumped in alarm every time Lin decided to grace them with his presence.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it. Here, I also have another of my favourites with me…" he searched around _in his sleeves_ and, to Train's amazement, produced a hefty leather bound book from within, " _Romance of the Three Kingdoms_. You will love it, little princess."

Eve's eyes lit up as she took the new book. Train scowled; Lin had started bribing his partners in order to get him, the sneaky twit, and he wasn't going to take this shit.

"The answer is _no_ ," he deadpanned firmly, "the fact that I'm no longer a traitor to Chronos doesn't mean that you people can start outsourcing everything to us. We have _jobs_ to do."

"Miss Sephiria would have appreciated your help," Lin said, feigning disappointment.

"Sephiria has eleven Numbers under her command. She might want to use them."

"Yes, but as a former Number you must understand how many missions the Numbers are assigned with, Mr. Heartnet," the young man was slightly woeful, "right now, many of them are still cleaning up after Creed Diskence. Surely it is within reason for Chronos to seek help from Sweepers outside the organisation, and surely a mission like this would count as a legitimate and well-paying job to a Sweeper like you? "

Train let out a short snort. Lin's explanation might sound reasonable, but he'd been in Chronos firsthand and knew how it worked. "Chronos does not _trust_ Sweepers. Put out a bounty and set Sweepers on the target's heels, yes; but once they pin them down, they send in Numbers and Erasers. You sure you're not using us as bait?"

"Chronos trusts _you_." The Magician cut in, sedately. "With you and your team on the job, why would Chronos even need bait?"

It was then the Black Cat remembered why arguing with Lin had never been a good idea. He curled up on his rock, sulking. Sven walked over and tapped him on the head, hard. Train yowled.

"Forget it, Train. That Blitz guy has already murdered more than twenty children in ten days. We can't let him go anyway, so we might just as well take up the offer."

"Sven is right, Train. Let's go," Eve put in, five pages into _Romance of the Three Kingdoms_ , and the former XIII gave them both a look full of heartbreak and betrayal.

"Just this time," he told Lin firmly, just to make things clear.

"Just this time," Lin let him have the last words, flashing the man his handsomest smile yet, but they both knew that this was not the last time when the former Black Cat's justice would align with that of Chronos'.

But this time around, instead of letting Chronos lead the way, Train would be making his own decisions.

* * *

This was how the story went: the Black Cat had come back to Chronos after two years of exile, having realized his mistake in abandoning the organisation. While the Elders could not let him return to the Numbers – defection was not tolerated in Chronos – the Elders had taken into account his past contributions to the organisation and had let him resign peacefully.

No one was sure what the true story was, as the higher-ups were tight-lipped and silent where the Black Cat was concerned, but some of the Chronos members had spotted Train Heartnet lounging around Central City, unmolested and free; others had seen him in the company of No. VII or No. X. It was not something they'd seen, before.

Maybe the rumours did have an ounce of truth in it, after all.


End file.
